New league promos? Catcher?

[Kayle]

I don't mind that they want to encourage online play, but maybe they should, you know, get it out of beta first.

 

[Captain Theo]

I think this is part of the point! TPC would like more players to start using the online game. People play other types of video games, and we hear about how Magic Online is so popular. As a league leader, why not encourage them to start?

I have tried to encourage people to start, since Black and White came out The issue is that nobody seems to care. None of the Magic players I know play it online either, so I can't say it is extremely popular online around here either. Most people I know that are dedicated enough to show up somewhere to play prefer playing in-person. I have attempted to get people excited, but generally when they ask "Are there tournaments? Are there prizes? Can I win/earn anything through it? Is there an equivalent to regionals/etc. on it?" and I keep saying no, they tend to... yea. A lot of people I know don't want to sit in front of a computer for the sake of playing to get nothing when they can use their real cards they've purchased and potentially at least earn prizes or see friends.

 

[losjackal]

Thanks, Captain. Do you know why they are treating it as an either-or scenario? For instance, I'm making plans to attend City Championships this weekend, but for quick practice testing out a new deck concept I can hop on PTCGO and get in a quick game. The activities are complementary, because they play at league once a week but can play online at anytime. Even against their friends.

 

[vaporeon]

I don't think 'forcing' players to play a product works ether. While I sometimes like PTCGO for quick testing, its hard for me to sell a incomplete product to someone. You have no idea how many times effects like skyarrow bridge or gardevoir's ability just stops working and cost me a turn or the whole game. Its hard to test with, you can't use a lot of the items. Play TCG is much better for this.

I'd rather have the league promo back because people showed up for those. Now most players don't show up because they feel cheated. I just hope they go back to league promos. they were better for everyone.

 

[SD PokeMom]

a couple of points:

--there's actually 4 energy, 2 Pokémon, and a trainer/supporter per code card

--players reported in league will also gain access to promotional Pokémon for the B/W and B/W2 games. This season it is Scizor, but there will be a new one available for Virbank season.

and dan brandt just posted this to the OP/League forums, i am reposting his explanation with his permission:

Why TCG Online Codes instead of Promo Cards? I have seen some posts around the internet that indicate that some players do not understand why we offered TCG Online code cards and not the normal Promo cards that they are so used to. I wanted to post this here in order to help you as League Owners and League Leaders explain our decision to players if they ask you about it.

Badges and badge cases are actually a premium item that require more resources than your typical league prizing both in manufacturing and in fulfillment. Because of this, the choice was never between adding promo cards or TCG online cards. Promo cards were never on the table for this league cycle due to the costs involved. It was always a choice between having the badge case, badge, and Pokémon distribution stand alone or offering TCG Online cards as well as a really cool bonus.

Pokémon players and fans enjoy our games in lots of ways. Some play the TCG, some play the video games, and some like to play the TCG Online. One of my goals when I plan our leagues for the year is to be as welcoming and inclusive as possible. I feel that we have made some good progress in that regard this year. At the end of the day, the more VG and TCG Online players we see joining our TCG players at league, the stronger the community becomes and that is just good for everyone.

Unless your league consists of players just popping in to grimly grind out games in order to snatch their promo cards and bolt for the door, I feel that leagues will still offer players the important stuff.

Community. Fun. Good friends. Good times. Playing Pokémon. Making trades. A welcoming place to learn the game.

The prize support has always been and will always be the whipped cream on the top of an awesome Pokémon Sundae. Sometimes that whipped cream will include promo cards, sometimes it won’t.

I hope that helps!

 

[vaporeon]

I have strong faith in these words " Sometimes that whipped cream will include promo cards, sometimes it won’t. "

 

[EricDent]

So how do you get that special Pokemon for the Video Game?

Again our league is focused on the TCG not the Video Game.

 

[rivershock]

How many people actually play FOR the promos? Most of the people at my league don't even remember (or simply don't care) to get the sheet signed half the time, that's how important it is to them. I think I only ever played deliberately for the promo once (for the Cryogonal since I collect Ice-Types). Rest of the time I just play for the sake of the game, as most do (and really, should). While I don't think the code cards will matter to me, the codes for video game Pokemon could be cool, and probably matter more to me than the handful of shiny energies and stuff. (I don't think I'll ever even use those energies, I don't get enough of them for the deck to only use them, and it would look weirdly out of place mixed with others.)

 

[EricDent]

It seems that those energy cards are not very popular at the league I attend.
The "extra energy" box (for the newbies) is crammed with them.

Since that is the case I took like 5 of each kind (there was at least 20-30).

LOVE to have cool energy in my decks!

Anyhow I can confirm that the code card gives you 4 fire energy, 2 Lilipup, and Aspertia gym.

Are they going to go past the "Legend" badge this time?
Would like to see what the rest of the promos would have been...

 

[FirestormXVI]

So how do you get that special Pokemon for the Video Game?

Again our league is focused on the TCG not the Video Game.

From what I can tell: when you get marked down as attending league and your League Leader uploads his or her attendance list, your account gets tagged as eligible to receive the promo Pokemon automatically. During the redemption period, you can then go on the Pokemon Global Link to receive it.